Device for metal coating pipelines, particularly pipelines of power stations



Dec. 23, 1958 P. voN ARx 2,865,321

DEVICE FOR METAL COATING PIPELINES, PARTIOULARLY OE POWER STATIONS 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1953 l/VVENTR PAUL VON ARX ATTORNEXLS' Dec.23, 1958 P. voN ARX 2,865,321

, DEVICE FOR METAL OOATING PIPELINES, PARTIOULAELY OE POWER STATIONSFiled Nov. 4, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2:

/NVENTOR PA UL VON ARX ATTOR/VEV` Dec. 23, 1958 voN ARX 2,865,321

P. DEVICE FOR METAL COATING PIPELINES, PARTICULARLY OF POWER STATIONS,Filed Nov. 4, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /N VENTO/Q PAUL VON ARX.

A T'ORNE YS United States DEVICE FOR METAL COATING PIPELINES,PARTICULARLY PPELINES 0F PDWER STATIDNS Paul von Arx, Sissach,Switzerland, assigner to P. von Arx & Co., A. G., Sissach, SwitzerlandApplication November 4, 1953, Serial No. 3%,127

Claims priority, application Switzerland November 6, 1952 7 Claims. (Cl.11S- 306) It is known that the internal coating of pipelines with `metalby Schoops metal spraying process affords an effective protectionagainst corrosion. But where the pipelines have already been installed,this internal metalcoating can be carried out only with difficulty, sothat it can be done onlyexceptionally, on comparatively short pipelines.It was therefore not possible to provide pipelines of power stations,after they had been installed, with an internal metal layer, e. g., asprayed-on layer of zinc.

The present invention concerns a method for covering the surface or"pipelines, particularly the pipelines of power stations, with a layer ofmetal. According to this invention, the characteristic feature of thisprocess is the motion of metal sprayers inside the pipeline, at adefinite distance from the wall, in the longitudinal and lateraldirections, and the method of obtaining the lateral niotions by means ofa swivelling carrier on a carriage. The longitudinal motions are,however, obtained by feeding the carriage, with the carrier fixed to itand with the metal sprayers, along the axis of the pipeline.

Asuitable device to carry out this process is according to the presentinvention a carriage which can travel inside the pipeline which is to bemetal-coated. A swivelling carrier is located on the carriage and drivenby a driving mechanism, which is also provided on the i carriage. Metalspray-guns are xed along the circumference of the carrier, which can beadjusted radially to set their distances from the wall of the pipe. Theearriage is co-nnected with a feeding device so that it can be moved bythe latter; this device feeds the carriage along the axis of thepipeline.

The drawing shows diagrammatically an example of a design of a devicewhich is suitable for this process, and serves at the same time toexplain the process.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a metal spraying device,

Fig. 2 is a cross-section along the line l-I 'of Fig. l,

Fig. 3 is an assembly of the metal spray-guns at a larger scale,

Fig. 4 is a plan view to Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a plan view to a part of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is an end View of one side of the device,

Fig. 7 shows a reversing drive,

Figs. 8 and 9 show a spraying device in the working position and Fig. l0shows a modified embodiment of a support of a wheel.

In the drawing, 1 denotes a front frame and 2 a rear frame of themachine, the frames are rmly connected by means of rods 3. Two guidingsleeves 4 are fixed to each of the two machine frames, so that theiraxes intersect above. In each of these sleeves slides a guiding rod 6carrying a rubber-tyred wheel 5'. Also, a draw vringv 7 and 8 is fixedto each of the machine frames.

Four guide rollers 9, supporting a ring 10 or 11, are located at each ofthe inside sides ci the frames 21,865,321 Patented Dec. 23, 1958 i ice1, 2. These rings are connected by means of several regularly spacedcross-bars 12. The drawing shows as an example four of these cross-bars,one each at the front, at the back, above and below. On each crossar anumber (e. g. two) of metal spray-guns 13 of known design are located sothat they can be moved together in a radial direction with respect tothe rings Till and 11. This arrangement can be seen most conveniently inFigs. 3 to 5. The metal spray-guns are mounted on a carrier plate 14provided at each of its two ends with a guide bar 15. These bars areeach sliding in a spring-casing 16 and are held by a spring 17, pressingagainst a collar 18, in the shown position. Thus, the carrier plate 14can Ibe moved against the action of the springs 17' towards the springcasings. The spring casings 16 can be moved longitudinally in 'thecross-bar 12. They are provided on their rear surfaces with teethmeshing with a gear wheel. The two gear wheels of the spring casings` ofeach traverse are connected by means of a shaft 19. If this shaft isturned by means of a vhandle pushed on the suitably shaped end of theshaft, the carrier plate 14 will consequently move outwards or inwardswith respect to the axis of the rings.

The carrier plate 14 can be locked in a chosen position by means of alocking pin 2l). A guide bar 21 is mounted in the middle so that it canslide in the directionof its axis. This bar is provided with a rack onone side,v

meshing with a pinion mounted below the carrier plate and driven througha shaft 22 by means of a handle which can be pushed on this shaft. Theguide bar 21 carries at its upper end a feeler roller 23 whichpreferably should have rubber tyres and is supported by means of aholder 24 in the guide bar 21 in such a way that it can rotate about thelongitudinal axis of the guide bar 21. A scale 25 is xed to the guidebar 21 (see Fig. 3) and enables the position of the guide bar 21 or ofthe feeler roller 23 to be set with reference to the carrier plate 14.The support of the metal spray-guns 13 described here ensures that thedistance of their orifices from a pipe wall 26 which is to be sprayedremains under all circumstances unchanged and equal to the distance setby means of the feeler roller 23. This is obtained by moving the carrierplate 14, after adjusting the machine to the required spraying distanceby means of the feeler roller 23, towards the wall of the pipe, by adisplacement of the spring casings 16, until the feeler roller 23 meetsthe pipe Wall. After this the spring casings 16 are moved by a definiteadditional distance in the same direction so that the collar 18 islifted from its shoulder and the spring 17 is compressed. The result isthat the carrier plate 14 is now pressed by spring pressure against thepipe wall and the feeler roller 23 is kept pressed against the pipe wall26 so that a constant spraying distance is ensured.

The feed wire 27 for the spray-gun, e. g., zinc wire, is supplied bymeans of a guide tube 28, of which one is allocated to each of the metalspray-guns. Three annular supply pipes 29 for gas, air and oxygen and aring cable 30 for the ignition and control currents are arrangedconcentrically with the ring 11; The metal spray-guns 13 are connectedby means of flexible pipes 31 to the annular pipes 29 and by means `offlexible cables 32 to the ring cablei30. These connections pass throughan elongated hole 33 in the cross-bar 12 (see Fig. 5). The crossbar.12is also provided with two holes 34 in which the spring casings 16 aremounted.

The guide tubes 28 for the feed wires 27 are arranged in the machineframe 2 inside a common protective tube 35 (see Fig. l). At theleft-hand end of this frame the feed wire reels 36 are mounted so thatthey can rotate. The flexible pipes supplying the annular pipes .29 andsa the electric cables and wires are collected by a bent protective tube37 passing below out of the frame Z and then to the left outside themetal-spraying device.

Fig. 6, which is a view of the right-hand end of this metal-sprayingdevice, shows the vertical adjustment device of this machine. It is acondition of the correct functioning of the metal-spraying device thatthe centres of the two rings 16, .til coincide with the centre-line ofthe pipe. in order to arrange this easily for pipes of differentdiameters, the guiding rods 6 of the wheels have each at their facinginner sides a rack, and a pinion is provided in the wall of each of theguiding sleeves Each of these pinions is in mesh with one of the racks.The pinions of each of the long sides o-f the metalspraying device areconnected by a mechanism, not shown here, to transmit the motion of onepinion to the other. Also, the pinions at the right-hand end of themetal-spraying, device are firmly fixed each to a sprocketwheel` 38 or39 respectively. The latter are connected by means of chains i0 to othersprocket wheels 4i; each of these sprocket wheels is solidly fixed to agear wheel 42 and Can rotate on a pinf The right gear wheel di?. (.seeFig. 6) is in mesh with another gearxwheel da which can be driven bymeans of a handle 43, while an idler 45 is arranged between the leftgear' wheel .i2 and the gear wheel d4.- This arrangement has the purposeof lifting the wheels S or lowering thel metal-spraying device, byturning the handle in a clockwise direction, or vice versa. When themetal-spraying deviceris in the required position, the guidingrods 6 arelocked yby means of locking screws 46.

The continuation of the spraying along the axis of the pipe is achievedby moving the metal-spraying device described here along-its axis. Ifthe entire internal area of the pipe is to be sprayed, a rocking motionof the rings 10, 11 carrying the spray-guns must be superpo-sed on thelongitudinal motion. Iny the present case this rocking motion hastovcover an angle of about 90, but this angle can ber reduced orincreased according to the number of the spraying groups. In order toachieve this rocking motion, the ring is provided with a toothed sector47 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7)', meshing with a geary wheel 48 which, throughanother gear wheel, is driven by a shaft 49. The gear wheels 50 andStare located on, but not iixed to,` the shaftf49 and can engagealternately with V the shaft 49. by magnetic clutches-52- and :'53located between them. The gear wheel50is-driven' directly by an electricmotor 56, through aI gear drive 5d and a gear wheel S5, whilethe gearwheel 5lis driven by the gear drive 54, and a gear wheel57 and an idler5,8. Consequently,.thergearrwheels 50fand Slgrotate-inoppositedirections.- VThefmagnetic clutches 52 and 53 can be energisedalternately, each'by a-limit switch, 59 or 6l); the switches aremechanically connected in such a Way that when oneswitch is closed, theother switch is open. The limit switches 59, llare fixed to the machineframe ll and are actuated, just before the ring le reaches the end .ofits rockingimotion, by a striker xed to the ring. By a change inthe gearratio of the gearn ing described above or by a change in the speed ofthe electric motor 56, thefspeed of the rocking motionican be adjustedto the most suitable value. In order to achieve a perfect sprayingeffectinside the pipefit is evident that the rocking-motion andthelongtudinai motion of the. metal-spraying device are interdependentandv must be arranged accordingly.

For the.. transportion of thedevice;v here two feettiY are provided. oneach of the machine yframes il and 2, by means of whichthe device caribesupported. The feet 6l ,can also be usefully employed-when themetalespraying deviceis beingy inserted into a pipeand adjusted to thecorrect height.

Fig. 8 shows the described metal spraying device 62 in the workingpo-sition inside an inclined pipeline 63.

lt is lsuspended on a rope 64 andlet downat a definite speed along thepipe by means of a rope winch 65. A second winch 66 serves to feed thecommon supply cable 67, comprising the flexible tubes and cables, intothe pipe. The cables are connected to the current supply etc. by meansof slip rings and brushes, the flexible tubes to the various gascontainers by means of grooved connections; all these connections aremade on the winch ad. if there is enough space at the upper end of thepipeline, the common supply cable could be laid out on the tiocr inlarge coils and fed into the pipe as required. But if the space at theupper end of the pipeline is very limited, the rope winch 65 only isplaced there, while the winch de for the common supply cable is placedat the lower end of the pipeline, or the common supply cable is laidready here. According to whether it is more convenient to insert themetal-spraying device from above or from below into the pipeline, it isthen letr down or pulled up in the pipe 63 by meansofthe rope winch 65.It it is inserted from above, the' common supply cable is first pulledup throughy the pipe and connected to the metal-spraying device. Whilethe metal-spraying device is let down, the common supply cable isarranged in coils at the lower end of the pressure pipe. If Vthere is noroom at the upper end for the rope winch 65, it is iixed inside theupper end of the actual pipe and supported on spreading legs bearingagainst the wall of the pipe. This solution is generally employed forcomparatively long pipelines and is shown applied to a horizontal pipe6E, in Fig. 9. ln this case the pipe is sprayed in sections; After onesection has been completed, the rope winch 65 is moved forward andfixed, the common supply cable 67 is again arranged in coils at the rearof the metal-spraying device 62 and connected to the gas cylinders o9and to an electric supply cable brought up to this point. In the case ofhorizontal pipelines the arrangement can be greatly simplified by makingthe metalspraying device so that it travels automatically, in which casethe rope winch 65 is not required. Since the sectional relocation ofthis winch always requires much time, the automatically travelling typeof the metal-spraying device saves much time, because afterthecompletion of any section only the common supply cable 67 has to bemoved forward, arranged in coils and connected to the gas cylinders 69,and the electric cable has to be moved forward and connected to thecommon supply cable.

In the automatically travelling type of the metal-spraying device whichme-dificationis shown in Figure l0 the wheels'S are each arranged on alever 70 which can pivot in a vertical plane. Fig. l()f shows anarrangement of this kind. The iever 7i) is pivoted on a shaft 7i. fixedto the machine frame. A chain wheel 72 and a gear wheel 73 solidlyconnected to lthe chain wheel can rotate on said shaft. The gear wheel73 is driven by an electric motor Se through another gear wheel 74 aridother drives (not shown). The sprocket wheel 72 drives another spocketwheel 76 by means of a chain 75; the spocket wheel 7d is located on theshaft of the wheel 5 and solidly fixed to it. Y

A toothed sector 77 partly surrounding the shaft 7i. is fixed to thelever 7i) and engages with a pinion. The pinion can be driven by `meansof a' handle 78 which can be pushed on the pinion shaft. The angularposition of the lever 7d, thusadjusted, is located by means `of alocking screw It is naturally possible to adjust the four pivotinglevers7d together. Also, either all four wheelsor only the two wheels 5 on'the machine frame l are driven. The automatically travellingmetal-spraying device has that advantage that' the two motions, alo-ngand across the pipe, are definitelyl connected, so that it is certainthat their relative interdependence will not change.

In order to avoid the necessity of having to move `up the variouslieaible pipes for the gas supply, the gas cylinders could also be fixedto the machine frame 2. There remains then only an electric cable forthe connection to the mains and for the various control wires, which caneasily be moved up to follow the machine. When using a winch for thecable, the comparatively complicated screw connections for the flexiblepipes also will not be required. If the diameter of the pipe is rathersmall, it is not possible to fix the gas cylinders otn the machineframe. In this case it is convenient to mount the gas cylinders on aspecial truck which is coupled to the metal-spraying device, so that itis still pos sible to use only short lengths of flexible pipes.

Although the device described was assumed to be fitted with metalspray-guns for the purpose of the illustrations and explanations, thereis no reason why it could not be fitted with paint spray-guns and usedfor coating the internal surface of pipes with a coat of paint, e. g.,tar coating.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a nowpreferred example and embodiment of the invention it will be understoodby those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, thatvarious changes and modifications may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention and it is intended, therefore, tocover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. Spray apparatus with a movable mounting frame for coating the insideof pipes with sprayed materials, comprising a frame with radiallyadjustable rollers for supporting the frame centrally in the pipe whileit is moved axially therein, a plurality of spray nozzles equiangularlyspaced annularly around said frame, a carrier for said spray nozzlesrotatably mounted on the frame coaxiaily of the pipe when the frame isin adjusted position for coating a pipe of a particular diameter, gearmeans for oscillating said carrier through an angle substantially equalto that between the spray nozzles, flexible supply lines for saidoscillating spray nozzles, means for driving said gear means alternatelyin reverse directions toI provide said oscillation, and means foraxially moving said frame along the pipe.

2. Spray apparatus as defined in claim 1 having legs on said frame forsupporting the apparatus when said adjustable rollers are fullyretracted.

3. Spray apparatus as defined in claim 1, said means for driving saidgear means including an electric motor mounted on said frame and a powerline for supplying current connected to said motor, said moving meanscomprising a winch and line at one end of said pipe, said line extendingand connected to said frame for controlling the movement of saidapparatus along the pipe.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, a cable connected to said framecomprising said power line and supply lines for said flexible spraynozzle supply lines, and sources of supply for said supply lines andpower line.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, a second winch between said sourcesand said cable for paying out said cable to said apparatus incooperation with the length of the line payed out by said first winch.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, and sources of supply comprisingpressure tanks mounted in one end of said pipe and connected to saidflexible supply lines.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, sources of supply for said spraynozzles comprising pressure tanks mounted in one end of said pipe andconnected to said flexible supply lines, and means for driving saidrollers in accord ance with the spraying oscillations to advance theapparatus in the pipe at the rate required for complete coating of thepipe by the spray material.

References Sitetl in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,199,314 Subers Sept. `26, 1916 1,932,215 Johnson et al. Oct. 24, 19332,017,042 Dougherty Oct. 15, 1935 2,088,348 Schlupmann July 27, 19372,108,319 Perkins Feb. 15, 1938 2,140,298 Miller Dec. 13, 1938 2,185,570Ridley Jan. 2, 1940 2,324,478 Bleakley et al. July 20, 1943 2,397,482Grillin Apr. 2, 1946 2,461,517 Carnevale Feb. l5, 1949 2,631,565Sargrove Mar. 17, 1953

